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Myths & Facts
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Homeless people not only suffer from the hardship of their condition, but also must deal with the alienation and discrimination brought about by the myths and stereotypes about homelessness. What follows are some of the myths and the realities about homelessness.
Myth: Establishing services for homeless people will cause
homeless people from all around to migrate to a city.
Fact: Homeless people who move to new areas do so because they are
searching for work, have family in the area, or for other reasons not
related to services. A recent study found that 75% of homeless people are
still living in the city in which they became homeless.
Myth: Homeless people are a fixed population who are usually
homeless for long periods of time.
Fact: The homeless population is quite diverse relative to their
length of homelessness and the number of times they cycle in and out of
homelessness. Research indicates that 40% of homeless people have
been homeless less than six months, and that 70% of homeless people have
been homeless less than two years.
Myth: Homeless people are mostly single men.
Fact: Families constitute a large and growing percentage of the
homeless population. A recent study found that families comprise 38% of
the urban homeless population. Other research has found that homeless
families comprise the majority of homeless people in rural areas.
Myth: Homeless people don't work and get most of their money
from public assistance programs.
Fact: Many homeless people are among the working poor, and a
relatively small percentage of them receive government assistance. A
nationwide study in 1987 found that only 20% of 1,704 homeless people
received public assistance. A study done in Chicago found that 39% of the
homeless people interviewed had worked for some time during the previous
month.
Myth: Homeless people are mentally ill or substance abusers.
Fact: About 25% of the homeless are estimated to be mentally ill,
about 40% are alcohol or substance abusers, and about 15% suffer from both
disabilities. One percent may need long-term hospitalization.
Myth: They're to blame for being homeless.
Fact: Most homeless people are victims. Some have suffered
fromchild abuse or violence. Nearly one quarter are children. Many have
lost their jobs.
Myth: They are dangerous and they break the law.
Fact: In general, the homeless are among the least threatening
group in our society and are more likely to be victims of crime. Although
they are more likely to commit non-violent and non-destructive crimes,
they are less likely to commit crimes against person or property.
Myth: Charitable groups will take care of the homeless.
Fact: The growth of homelessness has far exceeded the capacity of
charitable groups. Homelessness is a societal problem that requires a
partnership between private charities and the government, with active
public support.
More facts
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One out of four homeless is employed full- or part-time.
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One quarter of the homeless are war veterans.
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One out of four homeless is a child.
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The fastest growing homeless group in the U.S. is families with children.
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Thirty-six percent of people with AIDS have been homeless since learning that they had HIV or AIDS.
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The numbers who are homeless for at least one night during the year is probably over three million.
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Millions are among the hidden homeless--people who are one crisis away from losing their homes.
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The homeless are found not only in cities, but also in small towns, rural areas and affluent suburbs.
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Many homeless people have completed high school; some have attended college and even graduate school.
Sources
Myths and Facts About Homelessness. (n.d.) National
Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. Retrieved on August 7, 2001, from
http://www.nlchp.org/myths.htm
Special Populations of Homeless Americans. (August 1999)
The 1998 National Symposium on Homelessness Research. U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Retrieved on August 7, 2001, from http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/progsys/homeless/
symposium/2-Spclpop.htm
A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America's
Cities. (December 2000) U.S. Conference of Mayors. Retrieved on August 7,
2001, from http://www.mayors.org/uscm/hungersurvey/
hunger2000.pdf
